APN Lambasts New Plans for West Bank Settlement Construction

Washington, DC - Americans for Peace Now (APN) joins its Israeli sister
organization, Israel's Peace Now movement, in strongly criticizing the government of Israel's issuing new tenders
for 1,877 new housing units in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

APN's President and CEO Debra DeLee said: "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
his cabinet ministers know full well that unilaterally establishing facts on the ground in the West Bank, in the
form of more settlement construction, has a devastating impact on efforts to achieve a peace agreement with the
Palestinians and on later implementing such an agreement. Initiating new settlement construction at such a
sensitive moment, when Secretary of State John Kerry is set to propose to Israeli and Palestinian leaders a
'framework' for resolving the conflict, is particularly offensive. It suggests to Israelis, to Palestinians and to
the world that the government of Israel is not serious about peace.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier last week justifiably demanded that Palestinians put an end to hateful and
belligerent anti-Israeli rhetoric. Unfortunately, today he gave Palestinians 1,877 more reasons to hate
Israel."

* To read Peace Now's statement on the issuing of the new tenders, click here* For
more about past settlement plans and construction, click here* For APN's peace talks
resource page, click here